Central go six points clear as Fenwick sent off in fiery Pro League return

Say what you like about Terry Fenwick—and most do—but never let it be said that the Englishman does not know how to make an entrance. Central FC’s new old coach began his second term at the “Couva Sharks” with a 3-0 triumph over his former employer, San Juan Jabloteh that was largely overshadowed by chaotic scenes at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya.

At the final whistle, spectators witnessed three red cards, referee Crystal Sobers was hounded throughout and Fenwick was ordered to the stands midway through the first half.

Photo: Welcome back!Central FC coach Terry Fenwick (left) was ordered out of the technical area by fourth official Rashby McPhie on his Pro League return against San Juan Jabloteh.(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Business as usual for fiery Fenwick then? Well, not quite.

For once, the Englishman was more victim than antagonist as his return to Trinidad—after a short, disastrous stint in the Belgium lower league—ended in farce and chaos at Macoya.

Central, the club created by Sport Minister Brent Sancho and now run by his special advisor Kevin Harrison, turned its organisation upside down roughly two weeks ago to replace Yugoslav-born coach Zoran Vranes with Fenwick. And then they forgot to register Fenwick.

It meant that Fenwick, who thought he was making his official debut, was unceremoniously ordered out of the technical area as soon as match officials were alerted to the issue.

“It was an oversight,” Harrison told Wired868.

Fair play to Harrison for putting his hand up; but it was a ridiculous error, even at domestic level. The fact that Fenwick was able to start the match on the bench at all suggested Harrison, who is now simultaneously Ministry of Sport advisor and Central operations director, was not the only person asleep on the job.

By the end of the night, though, Harrison must have been quite pleased as the Sharks made the most of Jabloteh’s implosion and a shock 4-1 DIRECTV W Connection loss to Defence Force to move closer to their maiden Pro League title. Central are now six points clear of Connection with three matches remaining although the latter outfit, who are the defending champions, enjoy a game in hand.

Fenwick was not the only debutant in Macoya yesterday. Kelshall Alexander made his first appearance as technical director for Defence Force and might be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss over Connection is about.

The “Savonetta Boys”, who were fresh from their 2015 TTFA FA Trophy final loss to North East Stars, were without injured defender Mekeil Williams and attacker Jerrel Britto and suspended playmaker Hashim Arcia. But that seemed little excuse for their shambolic defending that gifted Defence Force two goals inside the first six minutes.

Only one minute and nine seconds had elapsed when veteran striker Devorn Jorsling, the Pro League’s leading marksman, opened the scoring with an uncontested header from inside the six yard box off a Jemel Sebro cross. And Defence Force received an encore in the sixth minute as midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar, also criminally unmarked, headed in a second from a Kerry Joseph free kick.

Jorsling got his double in the 41st minute—his 16th league goal of the season—with a fine half volley off another Joseph cross while Jemel Sebro got the Army’s fourth in the second half after an intricate passing move that involved Balthazar and left back Aklie Edwards. Shahdon Winchester’s close ranged finish in first half stoppage time was not nearly enough for Connection.

Fenwick is now within touching distance of local football’s most prestigious trophy without breaking a sweat. Maybe he will even get to sit on the bench next week.

In the covered stands, Vranes sat with arms folded watching the proceedings. While Fenwick stood just in front of the car park so as, presumably, to communicate with his squad despite his lack of credentials. Central was paying two European coaches to not coach its first team.

Insert joke about Harrison’s suitability for the CEPEP portfolio here.

Photo: Central FC coach Terry Fenwick (centre) was forced to follow the action from just in front the Centre of Excellence’s parking lot on his Pro League return against San Juan Jabloteh.(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

For the first 45 minutes, the expensively assembled Central team and Jabloteh’s cut price squad of journeymen competed as equals. Trinidad and Tobago international midfielder Ataulla Guerra opened the scoring with a brilliant free kick in the 37th minute.

But, that moment apart, Jabloteh impressed with a mobile and flexible midfield quintet supported well by adventurous right back Garth Thomas. Central had reverted from 3-5-2 to Fenwick’s preferred 4-4-2 formation while defender Jamal Jack started in central midfield in a largely unsuccessful attempt to disrupt Jabloteh’s passing game. Yet it was the “San Juan Kings” who impressed early on.

Jabloteh coach Keith Jeffrey and his outfit should be a force to reckon with next season as they continue to grow from strength to strength. But, first, Jeffrey must address the disgraceful scenes that occurred in the second half.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Jabloteh utility player Jevon Morris—a man, to borrow a police euphemism, who is well known to the Pro League’s disciplinary committee—was ejected for two violent gestures in the space of three minutes as he raised an elbow at Central’s Jamal Jack and then swung a boot at Jason Marcano’s midsection.

Another seven minutes later, Jabloteh lost another player as Jamaican Fabian Reid raged at referee Crystal Sobers for her failure to whistle after he was manhandled by Central’s Kaydion Gabriel.

Reid had a point and Sobers allowed his initial show of dissent. But the Jamaican was ejected when he got into the referee’s face to continue his rant.

Reid is unlikely to have told Sobers anything as imaginative as his teammate, Caleb Sturge, who was also dismissed in the 78th minute after he too felt that the referee failed to spot an infringement on him

Sturge, according to the match commissioner, informed Sobers as to what he would like to introduce to her rear end. And it was not a chair. Pick up lines are apparently not what they used to be.

Seconds earlier, Jack had doubled Central’s lead after a Guerra through pass. And Guerra got the Sharks’ third in the 84th minute following an assist from Willis Plaza.

About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the CEO and Editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

48 comments

And soon if it didn’t happen already another one of my foreign base Coaches/ Technical Directors will be coming to be the Technical Director of our National team, he was the coach of Weschester University out there in Pennsylvania for many years and always use to call me up to bring a bomb squad team from Brooklyn to compete against his team and other teams in out door and indoor tournaments and he also once represented our national team back in the days so he knows his subject and have plenty experience below is belt I won’t mention his name as yet I will wait patiently until Mr. Live Wire does the introduction when it is a done deal.

Yeah I agree and which was long over due but thanks to Mr. Live Wire and wired 868 and also to my real Foreign Base professional Coaches and administrators eh, we shall surely rise again I am a believer.

Prince Borde yuh just hit the nail on the head eh, and I just like the bacchanal thing to eh, to the point where a certain young fellow in Crooklyn does take it personal and always like to run up his mouth when I am having meh fun on wired to yes. Them really good yes.

And if I was the Coach of the police team eh, I wudda pull meh police team from playing in the professional league and who wants to play in the minor league, or in our police interdepartment league, or the northern league eh, they can play because as I always say some police officers have no discipline and knows nutten about professionalism. Them really good yes.

well you know how the football in our professional league does go Mr. Live Wire sometimes we are expecting a team to do well on game day and then they are beaten ent, look at meh police team when W- Connection dropped 6 goals on them eh and the captain of meh police team well cuss up his players because some of them went and play minor league football the day before that encounter with W- Connection eh, in my time when I use to play for meh police team eh, yuh think we were going and play for any minor league team to get $100 dollars eh, and police have a game eh, these nowadays football players really good yes.

Well I am blaming whoever was the match commissioner eh, and I hope that it wasn’t meh friend Norris Ferguson because he shudda picked that up early before Coach Fenwick went out with the team and sat on the bench . Them really good yes.

Kevin Harrison, yes the buck stops with you, but whoever was responsible for the oversight should be fined by the club. And why are the players so disrespectful the the female ref? Is it because she’s not a man and they try to push the boundaries?

I understood that fully Terry. So I said you were ordered out of the technical area but did not say you were shown a red card.
I explained in the story too that it was not your fault. The incident just offered more intrigue for the match report.

Lasana Liburd you are correct: The buck stops here! As for pressing business, well there is the small matter of the Caribbean Club Championship next week and Central opened their Chuck E Cheese coaching school at Lange Park yesterday. But, no excuses. Still I’d rather take the licks and open up a 6 point lead with two games remaining, than be perfect and tied at the top with W!!

Adrian Romain I’m not disagreeing with you, Kevin Harrison accepted responsibility, he now have to ask questions about his staff, because they place the head coach in a very embarrassing position. When I saw the headline I wondered what Terence William Fenwick did now because i know he’s a passionate guy when it comes to the game of football. That being said I love watching Central, but as a shift worker i couldn’t be there today.

That’s good to know Adrian. All the same, it didn’t get done. And I don’t think Central FC had much more pressing business to do this last week than to ensure their new coach was ready to lead his team into battle.
Kevin Harrison, to his credit, did not shirk his responsibility. The leader is always in charge.
When you delegate, it doesn’t mean you no longer have responsibility. As a leader you are supposed to supervise and set deadlines to ensure that things you assigned to others were done.
It was an embarrassing situation to put Fenwick into.

I think this has nothing to do with there portfolios at the sports ministry it’s very simple maths at central fc people is given roles and responsibilities there is no way Kevin Harrison needs to be over his staff to get this done its part of the responsibility of the technical management staff and I can assure you knowing him he had this on his white board in the office as emergency …,

It is embarrassing in normal circumstances. Worse so now that everyone is watching Central FC as it has recently supplied the country with its sport minister and his advisor.
Not that mistakes don’t happen of course.

“Sturge, according to the match commissioner, informed Sobers as to what he would like to introduce to her rear end. And it was not a chair.” smh…….had a good laugh while wondering what’s wrong with these guys, they need to keep it professional.

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